U.S. patent application number 15/111147 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-17 for method and an apparatus to shoot an object from a flying apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to SKYCAT OY. The applicant listed for this patent is Skycat Oy. Invention is credited to Henri Hiisila.
Application Number | 20160332738 15/111147 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55746177 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160332738 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hiisila; Henri |
November 17, 2016 |
Method and an apparatus to shoot an object from a flying
apparatus
Abstract
The object of this invention is a method to shoot an object from
a flying apparatus. Into an flying apparatus, into certain part of
it, like a container that consists at least of a bottom and a shell
a spring will be placed, like a push spring that has been loaded in
a tense state and that is locked in this position using a fixing
organ and further there will be put as an extension of the spring
an object to be shot out from the flying apparatus. The fixing
organ is thread, metal cord, bar, strip, rope, line, or some
combination of these and tension strength (T) is greater than the
tension load of the push force (F) to the mentioned fixing organ.
the tension strength (T) of the fixing organ is weakened to be less
than the mentioned tension load by heating, burning, or melting the
mentioned fixing organ by electric energy when the fixing organ
breaks, the spring expands into the direction of the object and the
push force (F) pushes the object out of the container and off the
flying apparatus. The apparatus that is used in the present method
is also an object of the invention.
Inventors: |
Hiisila; Henri; (Forssa,
FI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Skycat Oy |
Forssa |
|
FI |
|
|
Assignee: |
SKYCAT OY
Forssa
FI
|
Family ID: |
55746177 |
Appl. No.: |
15/111147 |
Filed: |
October 12, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
October 12, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FI2015/000036 |
371 Date: |
July 12, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64D 17/64 20130101;
B64C 2201/146 20130101; B64D 1/04 20130101; B64D 25/00 20130101;
F41B 7/00 20130101; B64D 1/12 20130101; B64C 2201/128 20130101;
F41A 19/58 20130101; B64D 17/70 20130101; B64C 39/024 20130101;
B64C 2201/185 20130101; B64D 7/08 20130101; F41F 1/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B64D 17/70 20060101
B64D017/70; B64C 39/02 20060101 B64C039/02; B64D 17/64 20060101
B64D017/64 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 17, 2014 |
FI |
20140280 |
Claims
1. A method to launch an object from a flying apparatus comprising
a container having at least a bottom, and a shell, said method
comprising the steps of: a. placing a push spring against the
bottom of the container; b. loading the spring into a tense state
so that its push force is directed toward the intended launching
direction of the object; c. locking the tense state of the spring
with a fixing organ and directing tensile load of the push force to
the fixing organ, said fixing organ being a thread, metal cord,
bar, strip, rope, line or a combination therof, comprising at least
a part that is made of electricity conducting material and the
fixing organ having a tensile strength greater than the tensile
load directed to the fixing organ by the push force of the spring;
d. inserting the object to be launched into the container as an
extension of the spring; and e. weakening the tensile strength of
the fixing organ to less than the tensile load by heating, burning
or melting the fixing organ, thereby causing the fixing organ to
break, the spring to expand into the direction of the object and
the push force of the spring to push the object out of the
container and launching it from the flying apparatus; wherein in
step e) heating, burning or melting the fixing organ is caused by
conducting electricity through the part made of electricity
conducting material of the fixing organ.
2. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the bottom of the
container and the push organ are made of isolating, poorly
electricity conducting material.
3. An apparatus to launch an object from a flying apparatus which
apparatus has a container comprising at least a bottom and a shell
a push organ in the container, a spring tensed between the push
organ and the bottom, a fixing organ maintaining the push force of
the spring, an electric circuit has been made to go via the fixing
organ or the fixing organ has been installed between the terminals
that belong to the electric circuit, in which case out of the
electricity of the electric circuit it is possible to generate heat
energy so much that it can weaken the tensile strength of the
fixing organ to the extent that the tension strength of this fixing
organ can become weaker than the tension load of the push force of
the spring.
4. The apparatus according to the claim 43, wherein the shell is a
cylinder.
5. The apparatus according to the claim 3, wherein the spring is a
helical spring.
6. The apparatus according to the claim 3, wherein the electric
circuit composes at least a part of the fixing organ the locking
organs current cables and the power supply and is equipped with a
disconnector.
7. The apparatus according to the claim 6, wherein the disconnector
has been set to close the electric circuit automatically by a
signal coming from the acceleration, position, or pressure sensor
or by remote control.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two terminals are
installed in connection with the fixing organ and electricity is
conducted via the terminals causing formation of an electric arc
between the terminals, said arc having heat energy which increases
the temperature of the of the fixing organ.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a national entry of the international
application PCT/FI2015/000036 filed on Oct. 12, 2015 and claiming
priority of the Finnish national application number 20140280 filed
on Oct. 17, 2014 the contents of both of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
FIELD AND BACKGROUND
[0002] The object of this invention is a method and an apparatus to
launch an object from a flying apparatus. A push spring that has
been loaded or will be loaded in tense state is put in certain
place, like a container including at least a bottom and a shell, in
the flying apparatus and the spring is locked in this state with a
fixing organ and furthermore, as an extension of the spring there
is placed in the container the object to be shot from the flying
apparatus.
[0003] The usage possibilities of the invention are such different
flying and remote controlled equipments like for instance
multicopters and miniature planes where there might be need to
shoot a certain object during the flight.
[0004] As an example of this kind of launchable object a parachute
can be mentioned or so called pilotchute the duty of which is to
draw out the actual parachute that has been fixed to it. Shooting
out the parachute is needed when a defect occurs in the flying
apparatus and there is the danger that it falls to the ground. In
situations where this flying apparatus is flying above people or a
residential area it is especially important that it can be landed
safely in defect situations with the help of a parachute. It is of
cause reasonable to equip the apparatus with a parachute in order
to get the flying apparatus down intact in problem situations.
[0005] The before described parachute or its pilot-chute is known
to be fixed to the flying object in such a way that it can be shot
out when needed very quickly loose from the flying apparatus to
hold it up and to slow down its fall. One known solution to take
care of this is to put to the flying apparatus a container with a
bottom and a shell and to load at the bottom of this container a
push spring with the help of a fixing organ and to put a folded
parachute to the container as an extension of this push spring.
When the need to shoot the parachute out comes the fixing organ is
disconnected from the spring and then the spring power of the
disconnected spring pushes the parachute out from the container and
clear from the flying apparatus. The parachute is fixed using
bands, ropes or corresponding organs to the flying apparatus and
thus prevents the flying apparatus from falling quickly.
[0006] The disconnecting of the before mentioned fixing organ can
be done for example by using different kind of mechanical shooting
equipments where certain movement of certain part disconnects the
spring. This movement can be caused by remote control or
automatically for example by acceleration, position or pressure
sensor or something like that.
[0007] Another known way to shoot the parachute out is to explode
behind it a CO.sub.2 charge when the generated pressure pushes the
parachute out from its storage place.
[0008] The before mentioned techniques are used in the field
generally.
[0009] To discharge an explosion with the known technique has its
greatest disadvantage there that very many private
none-professionals and hobby communities are operating in the field
and the handling of explosives includes always danger factors.
Additionally, the usage of the explosives is very strictly
regulated with different rules and thus it is very difficult to use
this technique without breaking acts and regulations.
[0010] A big disadvantage of the methods basing on the mechanical
shooting gear can be seen to be their complexity and high purchase
prices and the problems of the reliability of operation.
SUMMARY
[0011] The meaning of this invention is to achieve such a method
and apparatus to shoot out an object from a flying apparatus that
disadvantages of the known technology are avoided. It is
characteristic for the method according to the invention what has
been presented in the characterizing part of the claim 1 and the
apparatus according to the invention what has been presented in the
characterizing parts of the claim 3.
[0012] The greatest advantages of the invention can be seen that
the method and the apparatus according to it are very simple and of
a low price to realize and that they are very reliable in use.
[0013] In this document, the term container means the place, the
organs limiting it and other controlling elements of the space
where the object to be shot out is stored. The shell means a
certain other wall part of the before mentioned space except the
bottom. The terms containing the words under and upper refer to the
drawings of this application but they do not define the only usage
position of the apparatus according to the invention, instead, the
apparatus is operational in different positions. The resistance
means such an electric resistance that changes the electricity into
heat energy.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The invention is described in the enclosed drawings
where
[0015] FIG. 1 presents one apparatus according to the invention
ready to be used and seen from outside,
[0016] FIG. 2 presents a lengthwise cross-section in the middle of
the before mentioned apparatus,
[0017] FIG. 3 presents the apparatus of the FIG. 2 in place B seen
more closely,
[0018] FIG. 4 presents one application of the fixing organ of the
apparatus according to the invention,
[0019] FIG. 5, presents another application of the fixing
organ,
[0020] FIG. 6 presents one application of the invention that is
different than the before mentioned ones.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Next, a favorable application structure and operation of the
invention is described referring to the before mentioned
figures.
[0022] In FIGS. 1- 3, there is a schematic and as an example one
apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus has been
presented in these figures ready to be used and together with it
there has been presented also the object 1 to be shot out. The
object 1 is in this example a parachute and it can be seen in FIG.
2 that it has been put inside the container 2, in its upper part.
The bottom 3 of the container is round and made of isolating poorly
electricity conducting material of the shape of a disc and it has
in its center an opening 3.1 in the direction of its middle axis
and there is a hole 3.2 in its edge that reaches to the mentioned
opening 3.1 and even a bit to the other side of it. The container
has a cylinder shell 4 and in this example a lid 5 has also been
placed to the upper end of the shell. There is a spring 6 inside
the container that is in this example a helical spring and there
has been installed against the upper end of it a push organ 7 of
the shape of a piston, round of its diameter, slide adapted to the
shell which organ also has been made of isolating and thus poorly
electricity conducting material. The push organ composes of an
apron 7.2 reaching between the push surface 7.1 and shell 4 and
spring 6 and in the middle of it there is an opening 7.3 to the
direction of the container middle axis. The spring 6 is a push
spring and it has been pressed low against the bottom 3 of the
container and locked to this tense position using a fixing organ 8
so that the mentioned fixing organ combines together with the first
locking organ 9 and the second locking organ 10 the bottom 3, the
spring 6 and the push organ 7. In this example, the fixing organ 8
is (FIG. 4) a thin metal cable and there are loops 8.1, 8.2 at
their ends. The first locking organ 9 is a metal pivot pushed into
the hole 3.2 and the other locking organ 10 is metal pivot that has
been installed against the push surface 7.1 of the push organ. The
loop 8.1 in the lower end of the fixing organ 8 reaches round the
first locking organ 9 and the other loop 8.2 at the upper end
correspondently round the second locking organ 10 and thus the
spring 6 is locked in stress state between the bottom 3 and the
push organ 7 and thus the push force F causes a corresponding
tensile stress, in this example to the metal cord that is vertical
and operating as the fixing organ 8. The fixing organ 8 has been
dimensioned so that its tensile strength T that is the tensile
strength of its material divided by the area unit (N/mm.sup.2)
multiplied by its total area (mm.sup.2) is greater than the
expulsive force F of the ready to be used spring.
[0023] In the apparatus according to the invention, there has been
connected a current wire 11 to the first locking organ 9 and a
current wire 12 to the second locking organ 10. The mentioned
current wires have been connected to the current supply 13 of the
flying apparatus, like an accumulator or a battery. The created
electric circuit 14 that consists of the mentioned current wires,
locking organs, fixing organs, and current supply has been equipped
with a disconnector 14.1 that keeps the electric circuit
disconnected in normal situations. The electric circuit 14 can be
connected with a remote control device or with an automatic device
the way that has been described before. The short circuit has been
prevented with the material selection of the materials for the
other parts that are in contact with the electric circuit in the
way that has been described before.
[0024] The method according to the invention works so that when an
object 1, like a parachute is desired to be shot out from the
flying apparatus the disconnector 14.1 is closed with remote
control or it gets closed by a signal coming from for example the
acceleration, position, or pressure sensor or a corresponding
device and then current is created in the electric circuit 14. As
the current goes through the fixing organ 8 the fixing organ metal
cable operates as an electric resistance and the electric energy
changes there into heat and the temperature of the fixing organ
rises. The current intensity I and voltage U have been dimensioned
so that the temperature of the fixing organ 8 rises very quickly so
much that also the tensile strength of the material gets quickly
weak and so much that the push force F (N) of the spring 6 gets
higher than the tensile strength T (N) of the fixing organ. The
mentioned tensile strength T is thus the tensile strength value
(N/mm.sup.2) of the material of the breaking point multiplied by
cross cut area (mm.sup.2) in question. In this case, the fixing
organ 8 breaks or gets melted and the push force F of the spring
gets released and the spring pushes the push organ 7 in front of it
and the push organ pushes the object 1 in front of it and
consequently the object pushes the loosely in its place situating
lid 5 away from its place and the object gets shot out of the
container 2 and out of the flying apparatus. If the object 1 is a
parachute that is fixed to the flying apparatus this parachute gets
opened and limits the falling speed of the flying apparatus in a
desired way.
[0025] The flying apparatus can be equipped for the next flight
with a reloaded spring 6 in the container 2, with a new fixing
organ 8 and repacked object 1.
[0026] The object 1 can be something else than a parachute. As an
example, a serpentine reel or a group of these reels can be used.
Also many other objects to be shot out of a flying apparatus can be
in question.
[0027] The container 2 can be dimensioned always according to the
circumstances to be of a suitable size or shape. In the example
before, it has been dimensioned suitable for a parachute, but it
can also be made of some other shape. Fixing the container to the
flying apparatus can be made by any method of the known technology
so that the object that is thrown has a free way to the outside
air. In some cases, the container can also be without the lid.
[0028] The bottom 3 has also many ways to be realized. It is
central for it that the locking organ 8 can be supported to it
either directly or through a support organ 9. One alternative that
can be mentioned is the construction where locking organ 9 leans
against the under surface of the bottom 3 and the fixing organ
reaches it going through the whole bottom. In some cases, the
fixing organ 8 can be fixed directly to the bottom and then the
wire cord 11 is fixed directly to it.
[0029] The spring 6 can in some cases be made differently from the
above presented using for example the principle of a leaf spring.
It is central that the push force F is directed into the direction
of the object 1 to be shot out.
[0030] The push organ 7 can be made in different variations but,
however, always so that it is directed sufficiently well into the
right direction pushed by the spring push force F. In the example
before, the apron 7.2 of the push organ directs the same way as a
piston apron to make it to move into the direction of the length
axis of the container. The fixing organ 8 can in some cases be
fixed also directly to the push organ 7, when the electric cable 12
is fixed directly to the fixing organ 8. In some cases, the push
organ 7 can also be an end of the spring 6.
[0031] The fixing organ 8 can be made in many different ways. It
can be a wire, metal cord, bar, strip or a corresponding organ or a
combination of the before mentioned or any object that is or that
has in it an electric resistance operating as a fuse or through
which the electricity is conducted. The fixing organ can also be
made so that only a part of it belongs to the electric circuit 14,
in which case the current is conducted only through this part and
the breaking or melting happens then in this mentioned part. As the
material of the fixing organ, it is possible to use steel, copper
metal, aluminum or any other material that is sufficiently strong
and electricity conducting.
[0032] The locking organs 9, 10 can be made in many different known
ways. It is not necessary that they belong to the electric circuit
14 if the circulation of the electricity via the fixing organ is
arranged in some other way than via the locking organ. If the
locking organs belong to the electric circuit 14 the same rules
apply to their material selection as before in the case of fixing
organ has been told.
[0033] It is possible to arrange the electric circuit 14 in the
apparatus according to the invention also in such a way that the
current goes to the fixing organ 8 that is operating as a fuse or
from there further along the spring 6. In this case, when
dimensioning the spring it is necessary to take into account the
rise of the temperature caused by the current and through that the
weakening of the strength of the material.
[0034] One application of the invention is a solution where the
bottom 3, tense spring 6, push organ 7 and the fixing organ 8 make
together a prefabricated capsule that is placed inside the shell 4
and supported to its place against its lower part. In another
similar solution, the bottom 3 in the capsule can be replaced by a
separate laminar support part that is supported under the spring in
which case the prefabricated capsule is placed against the bottom 3
of the container. After this, the electric wires 11, 12 are
connected to the apparatus so that the fixing organ 8 or a part of
it becomes a part of the electric circuit 14.
[0035] It has been described in the FIG. 5 one such application of
the invention where the fixing organ 8 is a metal cord or a
corresponding organ that has been fixed to the bottom 3 in two
places through the locking organs 9a, 9b and to the pushing organ 7
in one place through the locking organ 15. The fixing organ makes
in this case the so called pulley setting so that its first part 8a
advances from the locking organ 9a to the locking organ 15 and
after going round it its second part 8b advances from there to the
locking organ 15 and after going round it its second part 8b
advances from there to the locking organ 9b. In that case the push
force F causes tensile load to the mentioned parts 8a, 8b the
strengths of which depend on the direction of these parts in
relation to the direction of the push force F. In this setting, it
is possible to use in relation to the before mentioned examples a
thinner fixing organ or correspondently greater push force F. The
electric circuit can be set to advance according to the FIG. 5 so
that only one of the parts of the fixing organ, in this example the
first part 8a, belongs to the electric circuit when the current
advances along the current wire 11 from the power source to the
locking organ 9a and further along the first part 8a of the locking
organ 15 and from there onwards along the current wire 12 to the
current source or vice versa. In this application, it is possible
to get the fixing organ 8 to break with a relatively less electric
power than in the same size application with fixing organ of one
part. This two part fixing organ 8 can also be made so that the
current is set to go through the whole fixing organ, in other words
from the locking organ 9a via the locking organ 15 to the locking
organ 9b. In these applications, it is easier to set the spring 6
tense than earlier in the stated applications. It should be noticed
that in this solution model the parts 8a, 8b of the fixing organ
can possibly be essentially in different directions in relation to
the push force F in which case the tensile strength of the part to
be cut of the fixing organ 8 is made weaker to be less than by the
push force F caused tensile load. The fixing organ 8 can consist of
more than two parts of the kind that has been mentioned.
[0036] The invention can also be applied in such a way that the
fixing organ to be cut is burned or melted broken using the
temperature of the electric resistance that has been installed to
it or by the temperature of the electric arc between the terminals.
There has been described in FIG. 6 a setting where there is an
electric resistance 16 put against the fixing organ 8c. This
electric resistance is a so called permanent resistance that means
that it can be used many times. When the current is conducted
through the electric resistance 16 its temperature rises and this
causes the weakening of the tensile strength of the fixing organ by
heating, burning or melting it. Another before mentioned with this
comparable solution is thus to put the terminals 17 to replace the
electric resistance 16 where there will occur an electric arc
between them when the electric circuit is closed. In this case, the
electric energy of the electric arc damages the fixing organ 8c and
the fixing organ breaks when its tensile strength gets weaker than
the pushing force F of the spring or weaker than the tensile load
caused by the fixing organ of the pushing force. The fixing organ 8
can be a wire, metal cord, bar, strip, rope, line that conducts
electricity well or badly or a corresponding organ or a combination
of the before listed or any organ the strength of which can be
weakened in the before mentioned way.
[0037] The intensity I and the voltage U of the electric current
that is used can in all cases be set suitable and favorable case by
case so that the energy that is needed for the breaking of the
fixing organ 8, 8c can be achieved sufficiently quickly.
[0038] It should be noticed that even though in this description it
has been kept to one for the invention favorable realization
example this does not, however, want to limit the usage of the
invention to only this type of examples, instead, many variations
are possible within the inventive idea described in the claims.
* * * * *